Now Reality
by Crazi.Neko
Summary: **shonen-ai implied, later it will be obvious!** Now Lan's cousin (eeryone has one somehow) asks a favor, but something goes a bit amiss... What's happened to Megaman? Can Kailyn fix it? And what will surface between Lan and Megaman in the mean time? (Plz
1. Accidents aren't all Bad

AN: Takepon: Umm she owns those you don't recognize?

Kyo: Yeah like the doctors, the random man and the two NetNavis…. What the Hell is a NetNavi?

Yama: Hey, language! You make the rating go up just by the author notes!

Dai: Please review…. She doesn't know much… umm please forgive her for anything that's wrong..

Kat: yeah, don't hate me cuz I've only seen one ep (American piolet) and this idea popped up and wouldn't leave me alone!! So umm yeah! Laters!

&****&&&&&&&&*******&&&&&&&&*********&&&&&&*********&&&&&&&&********&&*

"Lan! Wake up, man! You're gonna be late if you don't wake up!" Megaman said as the boy started to roll over then off the bed.

"OUCH!" he cried.

"Lan, are you okay?" his mother called up.

"Yeah Mom I'm fine!" he replied. "Megaman can you find a way to wake me up that doesn't include me falling out of bed?"

"I'm not the one who falls every morning."

"HEY! I can fix that!"

"Let's not do something hasty!" Megaman said at the glare he received.

"Lan! Lan Hikari, the phone is for you… It's important!" Mrs. Hikari called up. Lan picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Lan! How are you?" an accented voice asked while the clicking sound of typing and murmuring of voices were heard in the background.

"Kailyn?" he asked shocked. Megaman arched an eyebrow. He hated being left out of something.

"On the dot, Lan… I asked how you were you know…"

"Oh I'm good! So is Megaman," he said with a smile.

"That personalized NetNavi of yours? I'm super glad you like it, I helped you father with the prototype programs. My NetNavi is made similarly," Kailyn said. "I have a favor to ask you…"

"Ask away!"

"Well, I've got this project… It worked on my PET and Arieal's PET, but I'm wondering if you'd let me make the modifications on yours as well…"

"What kind of modifications Kai?" he asked picking up his PET and looked at Megaman.

"What's going on Lan?" he asked.

"It would provide a replica of your house for Megaman to be in. See we determined when they're on their own they're just kind of on this plane and we've invented a program to make a net house for the Navis!"

"Are you sure it's safe Kai?" he asked.

"Perfectly!"

"Positive?"

"Absolutely!"

"He'll be okay?"

"Affirmative."

Lan sighed. "Okay… What do you need me to do?"

"I'll come pick you up! Arieal I'll need a ride get the jeep!" she called away from the phone. Lan rolled his eyes. "Get ready Lan, I'll be there in ten!" she told him before hanging up.

"Lan, what's going on? You seem tense," Megaman said to him as the boy pulled on his clothes and turned back to him.

"Kailyn's going to update you is all…" Lan said.

"Lan, you were and are really freaked out over this! Tell me the truth," Megaman demanded. 

"I just did. Kai's been studying science and technology forever. She's eighteen now and is almost as respected as my dad. Don't worry, with Kailyn, we're both safe," Lan said picking him up and heading downstairs. "I'm gonna go with Kailyn, kay Mom?"

"Sure thing, just be careful! And don't touch anything that she says is dangerous!" Mrs. Hikari called after him as he ran outside just as a jeep pulled up.

"So this is Lan," said the driver smiling and pushing her sunglasses up on top of her head as she climbed out. "I'm Arieal Deaveraux." Lan shook the hand she offered.

"Lan Hikari, ma'am!" he said happily. 

"So proper Kai… He's a sweetheart!" she said as her friend came over and hugged Lan getting a hug back.

"That's my cousin for you Arieal," She said keeping an arm around Lan's shoulders. "Come on. We're going to the lab to hook up. The upload is really big and it takes a powerful info-blast to introduce it to the system."

"But Megaman will be fine, right?" Lan asked. 

"Of course," said a similar Navi. "I'm Oceané, Arieal's Navi. I've had the upgrade as well."

"So you were okay?"

"Perfectly fine. As was Fauna, in fact Fauna is better than fine. She's completely ecstatic."

"That's right!" the girl appeared beside Megaman. 

"Hey! Fauna, how are you?"

"Super Mega! Thanks for asking bro… Hello Lan, I'm Fauna. A prototype program of Megaman only configured to Kailyn's liking. Being as I'm female and all you know. I'm in all technical terms, Megaman's big sister!" she said waving to the boy.

"She's not that bad at all," Megaman said before he was hit with a random pillow and knocked over. Lan snickered as they pulled into the lab parking lot.

"Wow, Kailyn this place is HUGE!" Lan said. Even Megaman was impressed.

"It's much smaller than the places we worked in with Dr. Hikari," Arieal said as she slide her card through a scanner and the door opened. 

"Wow…" Lan and Megaman said together.

"Welcome to Horitami International Technology Research and Testing Facility Japan base 4," Oceané said from the floating projector.

"She's a little on the stiff side sometimes," Fauna said from next to her. Lan and Megaman smiled. They were lead to a back part of the facility where there was an enclosed observation area where people were typing away. 

"This is where we'll be Lan," Arieal explained.

"Megaman will be down on the charger." That came from Oceané.

"WHAT?" Megaman asked. "You're gonna separate me from Lan?"

"No! You're going to be down there and then we have to have a high-energy beam hit the PET you're in. The intensity of the blast could cause damage to Lan if he was too close and without the special protective glass," Kailyn explained.

"What kind of things?" Lan asked. It was written all over his face that he wanted to be with Megaman through this, worry was practically screaming at his cousin.

"Permanent or partial loss of sight, permanent or temporary amnesia, permanent medical problems such as increased risk of stroke, high blood pressure and so forth Lan… You can't be down there… it is much too dangerous…."

"Excuse me, Miss. Hikari?" a man asked.

"Yes…" 

"We have two others who volunteered for the test under strict guides that their Navis would be recreated if something should happen to them," he said.

"But it won't, bring them up here then so Arieal and I can meet them," Kailyn told him. In came Mayl and Dax.

"Guys!" Lan said happily when they came in nervously.

"Lan!" Mayl said hugging him tightly. "You're going to participate too?"

"Uh-huh!" Lan said smiling and looking more confidant now.

"Where's this Doctor person we're to meet?" Dax asked. 

"I'll introduce you," Lan said motioning for them to follow him over to where Arieal and Kailyn were talking. "Kai!"

"Lan? Oh hello! You must be the other participants! I'm Doctor Kailyn Hikari, and this is my partner Arieal Deavaraux. 

"This is Mayl and this is Dax," Lan said with a smile.

"Oh, they're friends of yours Lan?" Arieal asked smiling as well. "Thank you very much for coming. We couldn't be happier to have you!"

"Any friends of Lan are welcome here," Kailyn added. The first PET upgraded was Mayl's. It went very smoothly and the girl was ecstatic that her Navi had a home.

"Is it comfortable?"

"Very!"

"That's so cool! You have a piano too!" Mayl said, happily as she watched as her Navi looked around the new house.

Dax went next and again it went smoothly. He left as Mayl bid goodbye and gave more thanks for what they'd done.

"Okay then Lan," Arieal said as the boy looked down through the glass at where his PET was. Kailyn was with him explaining everything again. He was nodding with a nervous smile. The beam hit the PET perfectly and the calculations were all on when the monitor began doing weird things.

"Kailyn what's going on?" Lan asked worriedly as the light became much brighter.

"Status!" Kailyn barked.

"Another program is trying to run, Ma'am!"

"What program?" Arieal asked sitting down and typing rapidly.

"Program…. LANN, Doctor Hikari…" Kailyn paled. 

"Cut power!" she yelled running out the door and sliding down the rail. Lan right behind her.

"MEGAMAN!" he yelled as she kept him from opening the door. Mayl came running back towards them. Security guards held her back. As soon as the light faded Lan ran into the room Kailyn on his heels. "MEGAMAN!"

"Lan wait a minute! You don't understand!" she called into room. The room was hazy with a foggy smoke. Lan stood at the edge.

"Kai… Kai will he be okay? Is he okay Kai?" Lan asked her. Arieal came in the door. Kailyn was staring into the smoke. 

"Oh my God…" she breathed.

"What is it Kai? Kai what's the program LANN supposed to do?" the other doctor asked.

"LANN is program I created on my own…I've been trying to get it perfect for years," Kailyn breathed as a figure stood up in the smoke coughing a bit. The figure walked towards them. Lan pressed into Kailyn as Arieal watched. "LANN stands for Life Attained by NetNavi."

"What happened?" Megaman asked emerging from the smoke, in a true form of his own.

"Megaman?!" Lan cried happily before glomping him tears in his eyes. "You're okay! I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO LOOSE YOU!!"

Arieal slumped into Kailyn's arms. "It works… The program can give a physical form to NetNavis!"

"Huh?" Megaman asked before blushing at Lan. "Wait a minute… You're hugging me…." He said quietly.

Lan stood up. The two were the same height. In fact they looked almost identical. "You're okay! You're really okay and you're……… human!" 


	2. Adjusting to Reality

Lan was smiling like an idiot. Maylu was just gapping at Megaman while Megaman himself sat down hard on the floor.

"But how?" Maylu asked finally as Arieal recovered enough to hug and kiss Kailyn soundly.

"Kai's program! Kai was creating a program that could do this! Kai you're a genius! I love you!" Arieal said continuing to hug the other girl.

"I'm human?" Megaman asked looking at his hands.

"For now, yes," Kai said. Everyone looked to her. "Can we continue this in my office please… Not that Arieal!" she said to the girl who frowned but still clung to her arm. Maylu was dismissed. Kailyn plead it was more of a family matter. Lan said that until they were positive what was going on that she should go home. He promised to call her later though when he got home. 

"How can I be human even with some program?" Megaman asked sitting in a chair. Lan was still grinning like a fool and staring at him. It was kind of nice… Lan was so engrossed in watching Megaman he didn't notice Kai talking to him till she threw something at him.

"OW!" he cried.

"It was only a foam ball!" Kai said. "Next time you'll pay attention." Her look said 'to something other than another boy at the moment'. Lan blushed slightly.

"What were you saying Kai, I'm afraid I wasn't listening…" he muttered to her.

"I was saying that I can't put Megaman back into the PET! At least not now… the reverse program is still not even anywhere near where this one was…" she told him. 

"Megaman will have to stay with you as a human till it's ready," Arieal added. Lan smiled to them as the phone rang. It was Mrs. Hikari for Lan. He went into another room to take the call.

"Or until you become unstable," Kailyn said quietly. The two looked at her.

"Unstable?" Megaman asked eyes wide. "As in like…."

"As in parts of you faze in and out like bad reception on a TV…. As in you starts fading… Or you get really sick… If it gets to the point where you're constantly cold and weak, Megaman, get here immediately and I'll do my best to keep you stable till the program is ready. Once you leave I'll start working on it…. I'm sorry… That's all I can do," Kailyn said looking to him apologetically.

"I'll tell Lan about tha-"

"No."

"What?" he asked looking to Kailyn. 

"My cousin cares much too much to tell him that…. Just act as if nothing is wrong, Megaman. I love Lan…. I can't stand to see him in so much pain over a possibility. I would rather him spend time with you while he's happy… But do check back in a week to see if the program is done. It was never meant to be a long-term physical form. Lan will have to help you out with something or another I'm sure…"

"Thank you Kailyn… For everything…" Megaman said standing before Lan came in. 

"I told Mom that you were staying with us!" he said bouncing over to Megaman. "You can stay in my room with me still and borrow some of my clothes so that you don't have to wear your battle outfit all the time!" 

Megaman smiled slightly. Lan was much too happy to warn about a simple thing that probably wouldn't happen anyway. 

Arieal drove them back to Lan's house. "Take care you two…" she said before driving off leaving them out front. 

Lan drug the boy into the house and told him to remove his shoes. Megaman did so, with some difficulty. Lan laughed and smiled the entire time. Megaman found himself blushing a bright red. Lan suddenly reached over and grabbed Megaman's helmet and pulled it off. Megaman blinked as strands of black-blue hair fell in his eyes slightly. Lan giggled when Megaman shook his head to see if it helped and became enthralled with the fact that _his hair could __move! He never knew it could. _

Mrs. Hikari was a little hesitant about the whole thing but amazingly the boy knew what he was supposed to do. She was surprised the only thing that Lan really had to show him was where the restroom was, not what to do! And Megaman determined, mostly when Lan had instructed him to change for bed as he was falling asleep standing up, that zippers were _not his friends. Lan giggled and batted his hands away and undid it for him helping the tired boy into pajamas. Lan changed and they climbed into bed for the night. Mrs. Hikari, though, was on the phone with her husband who was asking about the project Kailyn had worked on… he was more shocked than anyone that Megaman was in his son's bed curled into a ball facing away from the brunette asleep peacefully. _

-------------------------------------------------

The next morning Lan woke up slightly to Megaman curled up by his side resting his head right next to Lan's on the pillow. Lan smiled and snuggled closer to the other boy. Megaman still made him feel safe, and worth something…except now it was a whole lot more than before…

---------------------------------------------------

"Morning Auntie!" Kai said as she entered the house. "I came to see how Megaman did last night…"

"Amazingly I think he was fine," her aunt answered her.

"That's good to hear," the teen said grabbing an apple and biting into it. Right then Megaman came down the stairs rubbing his eyes. 

"Kai, there's something in my eyes…" he said stumbling towards her.

"Mega, its just sleep. Just do like this and you'll be fine," she explained wiping it out of his eyes for him. The boy blinked and smiled. 

"Thanks!" he said brightly. Lan came shuffling down the stairs next and took a seat at the table, letting his head drop down and bang on it. 

"OW!" he cried sitting up and rubbing his head.

"Serves you right!" Kai and Megaman said at the same time as they sat down together.

"Okay stop it," Lan said. "He's my NetNavi anyway!"

"I have to check on him. Like I said. The program was never meant to be permanent."

"I know…" Lan said. 

"All I have to do is give him a quick check up and you two can spend the rest of the day together. Just call me if anything is wrong between the time I check him and the next one okay?"

"Of course," Megaman said.

"And you can't use Megaman outside of being a NetNavi. And right now you ARE human…."

"So what am I then?"

"Well, that's up to you and Lan," Kailyn told him with a smile.

"Umm… well.." Megaman began to think.

"How about…" Lan began. "Ryuu!!"

"Huh?" Kailyn looked at Lan. "Dragon?"

"Yeah! I mean, he's got wisdom and power and loyal and stuff. Just like a lot of dragons in myths!" Lan explained.

"I like it!" Megaman said. "But why do I need it?"

"Well you see," Kailyn coughed slightly. "I kinda need you too so I don't get fired…"

"FIRED?!" Lan and Ryuu exclaimed.

"Yeah… They're not happy with me. Since you know the program ran and all… but I mean, it's not my fault per say…."

"I just hope that World Three doesn't try to reform while I'm out here!" Ryuu said determinedly.

"Don't worry. As far as we know, Wiley is in a federal prison of the most high tech security in the world. Located in the middle of a dessert in a America!" Kai smiled munching on some toast.

"I hope you're right," the boys said as they ate.

***************************************

"Congratulations Doctor Wiley! You stole the perfect program!" said a man carrying a guitar as they walked down a long hallway.

"Shut up you fool! It ran in two places though…" said a red haired man.

"But…." Said the girl with them as she inspected her nails. "I know which Navi was removed from the net-plane…." The men turned to look at her.

"Who was it?" asked Dr. Wiley turning to her.

"That annoying blue one sir… He's real now…."

"Excellent….." Dr. Wiley chuckled.

***************************************

"Hey Lan! Who's your friend? And does he net-battle?" Dax asked the boy as he suddenly appeared, PET in hand in front of the brunette and his Navi.

"Heh. Well, Dax I have to say you've met him many times before and he does Net battle," Lan said before grabbing Megaman by the arm. "But Ryuu and I have things to do so I'll catch ya later!"

"Bye Dax! Better keep training with metal head!" Megaman called with a smile, as he was drug off towards Maylu's house.

"LAN! Megaman!" Mayl said happily opening the door for them. "So what's happening?"

"My name is Ryuu and I'm staying with Lan for a while till Kailyn can fix everything," Megaman smiled. His spikey hair was windblown and stuck out oddly. He wore a dark tank with a button down white top over it and dark blue board shorts along with sneakers.

"Did anyone recognize him?" Maylu ask.

"Only you did," Lan said as they sat at the kitchen table together. "Dax couldn't recognize him at all. And Kai says it'll be better to keep it all low profile for now… Which is the reason for the new name." Maylu nodded as she was filled in. 

******************************************

"I can't believe it! This is so much fun!" Ryuu said to Lan as he kicked the soccer ball as if he was born to play. Lan smiled as he watched the boy play around. He just fit there with him in this way. But then again, he didn't belong here….at all. He sighed and looked down as his friend enjoyed himself.

"I'm sorry Lan, but LANN isn't a permanent program… I created it with you in mind, but there's nothing I can do. It is not meant to be permanent what-so-ever."

"Kailyn's right…" he muttered to himself before Ryuu plopped down next to him tiredly. 

"What's wrong Lan?" Ryuu asked curiously. "You look, sad." He paused only to find what emotion he was looking for to describe the look on his friend's face.

"Nothing's wrong." The fake smile that Lan cast before getting up and kicking the ball away a motioning for Ryuu to join him hurt Ryuu greatly. 

_'I want to stay Ryuu. I can be with Lan but he doesn't seem to trust me now….'_ Megaman smiled to show that nothing was bothering him outwardly and began to play with his friend.

**********************************************

"Lan?" 

Lan paused as he looked over at Megaman from his closet. He was trying to see what Megaman could wear the next day. "What?"

"Do you trust me?" he asked blinking at the boy expectantly.

"Huh?" Lan gaped at the boy that was sitting on his bed flushing a bright red at the steady gaze that seemed to see straight through him. "Ryuu, Megaman, what are you talking about? Of course I trust you! I trust you with my life!"

"Then why won't you tell me what's wrong?" the blue/black haired boy asked looking down. Lan blinked rapidly. "At the park. You said nothing was wrong but it's so obvious. And you won't tell me so I thought you didn't trust me enough… And I mean that I was kinda…..hurt, that you did that earlier…."

"Megaman…"

"You're supposed to call me Ryuu remember?" Lan sat next to the boy who was curling into a ball greatly trying very hard not to look at him.

"Ryuu… I trust you… I just… I was thinking about something that Kailyn had told me… I didn't want to bring you down because of some little thing. Understand?" 

"Yeah… I guess I do.. I just don't want you to forget I'm still your friend…" Ryuu said with a smile as they flopped back together.

"I could never forget that Ryuu…. You're still Megaman to me…. Only so much more," Lan yawned as he turned over and fell asleep. 

Ryuu turned on his side and watched Lan sleep. Some emotion was coursing through him but he didn't know what it was… It was strange. Very strange. He felt warm and melting. He felt light and happy. He felt, funny. But he smiled and snuggled down next to Lan and listened to his breathing letting it lull him into sleep.

During the night, neither noticed the fact that Ryuu's feet lightened in color as if someone was messing with the brightness knob on a TV.

**********************************************

"Kailyn?" Arieal asked as she walked into the lab room. The other teen girl sat at a computer staring at it intently while sucking soda through a straw. She was so completely engrossed in her work and project that she noticed nothing else.

"Kailyn Hikari," Arieal said as she switched the monitor off, while taking the soda away.

"ACK! Oh, Arieal! Sorry…. I don't want Lan to loose Megaman…" Kai said rubbing her eyes as she looked back at the black screen. "But if I don't keep working, he might…"

"He won't." Kailyn looked up at Arieal. "I love you chick. Why don't you get to the hotel, get some sleep and then I'll keep working on the program? Okay?"

"I don't think I have a choice," Kailyn yawned as she walked that way. Arieal smiled and watched her go before tapping away intently on the program configuration.

**********************************************

AN: Yes here is Chapter Two!! ^_^ I am so happy with the reviews I've been getting… 

Joey: Yeah, she was flippin out when she started getting so many so quickly….

Dai: But she loves you guys….

Pietro: Especially since you don't mind her bad spelling and terrible knowledge of it…. 

Draco: Please, continue to review… Thank you.


	3. But That's how I feel

A|N: Okay! I be posting…. No more death threats please…. Thank you…  
Kyo: **whispers** Please, Keep On Sending Them!!

Dai: Please read and review!

Spike: Crazi would like to put in a special thank you to Magical Silver Phoenix Tears for beta-ing this chappie! ^_^

Crazi: **huggles and throws confetti around** Thank you!!

---------

Megaman woke up after Lan the next morning. Which worried both Lan and himself a bit. He made a mental note to talk to Kailyn about it later.

"Hey, Ryuu, are you doing alright?" Lan asked, as the other was fairly sluggish at breakfast. 

"Just a little tired is all Lan… Probably because I'm not used to doing all those things yesterday in a body that actually tires physically," he said with a yawn. Lan nodded with a slight frown. The two later headed out for the afternoon, Lan frowning again at the paleness on Megaman's cheeks. 

************************

Kailyn had found them in the park and offered them lunch that being where she had been heading in the first place. They accepted thankfully. 

"So, how's this been working out boys?" she asked as the boys waited for their meals. Kailyn was munching on her salad that came with hers. 

"Well, it's been fine I guess," Megaman said looking at the table. "It's taking a lot of adjustments on my part."

"Really?" Kai said catching his eyes. Ryuu's eyes fell down to the table quickly. "I thought Lan would have to make a lot of adjusting too…"

"I have, but I think Mom had to make the most adjusting. It's been a lot of fun! Yesterday I taught Ryuu how to play soccer!"

"Soccer huh?" Kai smiled to her cousin. He nodded and Ryuu looked up smiling. 

"Well, I might just have to program in a soccer field then huh?" she asked with a wink. The boys grinned and snickered at the girl. 

Lan excused himself to go and fiddle with the jukebox and Kai didn't waste anytime. 

"Something wrong Ryuu?" she asked. 

"I felt really tired this morning… But I think it's because my body isn't physically used to playing soccer or anything."

"That's probably true… Keep me posted if it keeps happening okay?"

"Of course. Kai?"

"Yeah Ryuu? What is it?"

"Well… I've been getting this feeling…."

"What kind of feeling?"

"Well, it's almost like I'm melting on the inside because I'm so happy and I feel like I'm floating on air… but I'm not because it's quite impossible. And it's just a really weird feeling… And the stranger thing is I really like that feeling…"

"Sounds like love to me, Ryuu," Kai said with a smile. "So who's the lucky one?"

"Lucky one?"

"Who makes you feel like you're in love?" Kai said patiently. 

"Lan does." Kai almost choked on her salad. 

"What?" she coughed out with a weird look. 

"Lan does. I was watching Lan sleep and I felt that way… I feel that way around him a lot…"

"Like you're really good friends right?" Kai asked blinking rapidly.

"We are. But I feel love…"

"Kai!" Lan said sliding next to his cousin and grinning. "Can I have a few quarters?"

"Here, Lannie," she said handing him a handful of coins making the boy depart again. "You can love your best friend Ryuu. That's normal. Perfectly alright."

"Okay. Then why did it shock you?"

"Oh. Well, I thought it was a different kind of love," Kai said calmly. 

"What's the other kind?"

"Well. There's love where, you really care about someone. Like I love Lan. Or Arieal. I wouldn't ever kiss her or date her, because, as of right now, I don't feel that way about her." Ryuu nodded following so far. "The other kind of love is when you never want to be apart from the other person and you'd do everything and anything for that person. You want to be in intimate, physical contact. You feel, as though your heart, all your feelings, are for them and them alone. You want to wake up every morning and see them…"

"You want to be with them forever?"

"Yes! That's it!"

"But I want to be with Lan forever…"

"I want to be with Arieal forever. She's a big part of my life, but she is like a sister to me…"

"Kailyn. If you love someone in the way you just described. Forever and always, and would give anything… Is that bad?"

"Never!"

"I think that's how I feel about Lan…"

Kailyn blinked at the human-netnavi before her. "You…. You what? You what Ryuu?" she asked as the waitress came over and set down their plates. 

"I think I love Lan…"

"Ryuu… Can you come to the lab tomorrow?" The boy nodded looking down. "Okay… We can talk then. Just you and me, okay?"

"Okay…"

"Oh boy! The food got here!" Lan said taking his seat by Ryuu. He looked at his friend and whispered to him, "Hey, is something wrong Megaman?"

"Oh, nothing at all! I was just thinking really hard about something," the bluenette answered. 

"Alright…" The three ate most of the lunch in silence.

"So Kai, how is the program coming?" Lan asked after several moments of silence. 

"It's getting close… We're having a lot of problems with some sort of virus popping up. Fauna and Oceané are hard at work trying to keep the virus from interfering with out progress… It's working so far… But they're going to tire out sooner or later and that won't be good," the elder Hikari explained. 

"Well at least you're trying, right?" Ryuu asked. Kailyn nodded and paid for lunch. 

"I'll see you guys later… Don't forget Ryuu!" she said with a wave before disappearing. 

"What did she mean?" Lan asked. 

"I just have to go and see her tomorrow. Just a check up is all Lan, nothing to worry about. I'd be home before you knew it!"

"You're going alone…?"

"I was kinda planning on it…"

"Oh…" The two boys started to walk home in silence. 

_'Is something wrong with Megaman that he's not telling me? Is the program shutting down internally so he'll just disappear? Will I loose my best friend forever?! NO! Don't think like that Lan Hikari! Megaman will be just perfectly fine! It's just a check up, to make sure that everything is running smoothly.'_ Lan thought to himself as they walked. 

_'Does he think I'm lying? Does he KNOW I'm lying? What if he doesn't want to talk to me anymore? What if, what if he doesn't feel like I do… But then again, how am I supposed to know… Two days ago I was just a bunch of data, and now I'm a human boy with true emotions, not simulated ones and all these other things I have to worry about… This is so weird… It's confusing… I just hope this doesn't cost me my friendship with Lan…'_ Ryuu thought at the same time as Lan. 

They arrived home still silent. Mrs. Hikari was very worried about them. It wasn't like either of them at all. She was tempted to call Kailyn, but figured the girl would tell her she was over reacting again… which she did have a tendency to do every once in a while…

****************  
Ryuu sighed as he sat in Kailyn's office waiting for her. He left without waking Lan, asking Mrs. Hikari to please tell him that he'd be back as soon as he could. 

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Kailyn said as she came in. "How have things been?"

"I'm a little tired, but I didn't sleep well last night…" Kailyn shrugged off her lab coat and leaned against her desk watching him as he looked down at his hands that were clasped in his lap. "I was worried that Lan thought something was wrong. He was pretty quiet after you left… I thought, he might think I was lying about something," he said with a sniffle. "I don't want him upset with me… I-I… I got online earlier and well… I-I… I did some research on love… And I love him… More than anything… If he wants me to go back to being just his netnavi then I'll do it! I'd, I'd do anything for him!" Kailyn frowned as she knelt next to the boy and wiped at his eyes. 

"I know you do… I just wanted to make sure you knew what you were saying and I know Lan's not upset with you… He's probably just worried… Now. I need to run some tests on you, okay?" she asked standing again. 

"What kind of tests?" Ryuu asked rubbing at his eyes. 

"Just a balance test I guess you could call it… Follow me," she said grabbing her coat as she left through a door. Megaman followed her. "Sit down right there," she said pointing to a doctor's table. "And lay down."

Ryuu did as he was told and looked over at her. She was pulling a monitor like thing over. Obviously, she'd created it because Ryuu didn't recognize it. "What's that do?" he asked looking up at her. 

"It'll measure how well your body is holding up… It's not like the cells are correctly developed…" she said sheepishly. 

"Okay!" he smiled to her. She blinked and smiled before hooking it up and placing the sensor on his arm. Turning on the system she started to scan his cells for defects. 

------------------------------------

Lan poked at his breakfast after his mom left. He hadn't eaten much and he didn't feel like changing that. He had left his headband off so his hair hung low in his eyes. He puffed out a breath to try and move them from his vision, the opposite happened. 

The door opened but Lan didn't look up. 

"Hey Lan!" Ryuu called in. Lan didn't answer just stabbed his eggs that were long cold. "Lan?" Ryuu's voice was worried as it came closer along with footsteps. "Lan… Didn't you hear me?" Ryuu asked sitting next to him at the table. Ryuu blinked at the cold food that Lan was poking at. The brunette nodded slightly. "You're not sick are you?"

Lan shook his head, pressing his fork down on his eggs making the insides ooze out. 

"Are you still tired?"

Another head shake. Ryuu sighed. 

"Are you worried about me?"

Lan nodded, drawing shapeless forms in yolk of his eggs. 

"Are you, mad at me?"

Lan shook his head. 

"Are you going to talk to me?"

This time it was a shrug. Ryuu sighed as Lan got up and started to clean the dish he'd used. 

"Did you eat?" Lan asked quietly.

"I had a quick breakfast… Did you eat?"

"Not really…" Ryuu got up and placed his hand on Lan's forehead. 

"You don't feel warm… Nor do you feel cold…"

"I already said I was fine…"

"Well, something's wrong… You're not acting like yourself…" Lan's lower lip trembled before he latched onto Megaman and started crying. The bluenette made an interesting noise before placing his arms hesitantly around Lan. "What is it?" Lan shook his head sniffling as he buried his face into his friend's chest. 

Ryuu smiled sadly before picking the boy up, causing a squeak to come from him before carrying him up the stairs and into his bedroom, where he sat down on the bed with the boy in his arms. 

"Will you tell me now?"

Lan sniffled. "Is, is something going to happen?" he asked. 

"What do you mean?" the blunette asked blinking rapidly. 

"Is something wrong? Are you going to have to stay with Kailyn? Are you… Are you going to disappear?!" Lan asked sobbing on Ryuu's shoulder. 

"No… None of the above," he whispered to his distraught friend. "Everything checked out fine! Kailyn's impressed how well the body is holding up!" Lan sighed with relief, relaxing in Ryuu's arms. 

"I was so worried! I was worried that you didn't want to worry me because something was wrong and Kailyn was going to have to keep you with her so you didn't disappear! I was afraid that I might loose you!" Lan told him with a whimper, wrapping his arms tightly around Ryuu's waist, his head still resting on the taller boy's shoulder. 

"You don't have a thing to be worried about Lan! I'd tell you if something were wrong…" Ryuu assured him. Lan smiled as he yawned. "Did you sleep last night?"

"I wasn't really sleeping… I mean, as much as I was resting…" Lan yawned. Ryuu smiled as the boy fell asleep in his arms. After watching Lan sleep for a while, Ryuu realized how tired he was as well and fidgeted his way to the headboard, leaning against it while keeping Lan in his lap drifting off to sleep as well. 

---------------------------  
"Honestly Kailyn, I don't know why they didn't answer the phone!" Mrs. Hikari said as she entered the house and started up the stairs. 

"They could be out Auntie," Kai said following her up rolling her eyes. 

Mrs. Hikari blinked rapidly when she looked into her son's room. 

"What?" Kai asked before looking in. "Aww…. Ryuu is comforting Lannie!" she giggled. 

"Oh my lord…"

"Auntie. Neither slept well… Lan was worried sick about Ryuu since he had to come see me this morning. Ryuu was worried that since Lannie wasn't acting normal he was really upset with him so he didn't sleep well… They're exhausted."

"They're not…"

"No."

"Okay…" Mrs. Hikari said heading for the stairs again. 

"Go back to work Auntie. I can work from here and keep an eye on them, unless they call me."

"All right. Just let me know if they…"

"Okay…"

"Thank you…" Mrs. Hikari said before leaving. Kai walked into Lan's room and over to his school books and picked up the heaviest one and slamming it down on the floor causing both boys to yelp and jump falling off the bed. 

"What was that for Kai?"

"That's so unfair…" Ryuu mumbled rubbing his back, which is what he landed on. 

"You looked too cute, I didn't want to, but I needed to tell you that Auntie thought that something was going on… She's touchy on that I guess…" Kai said shrugging her shoulders. 

Ryuu was blushing profusely. Lan was not much better off. 

"Mom jumps to conclusions all the time…" Lan murmured. 

"I know. I told her nothing was going on. Now, be good. Because even though I said I'd watch you guys, I have to get to work. So stay out of trouble, and just stay home today. I don't want you over working Ryuu's body, all right?" she asked giving them hard looks. They both nodded to her. "Good. I'll see you two later." With that, she kissed their heads and left. Lan and Ryuu looked at each other before shrugging. 

"Still tired?" Ryuu asked Lan. He shook his head getting up. 

"Come on, I haven't gotten you to watch TV yet!" he said grabbing his hand and heading towards the living room. Ryuu was smiling at the feel of their fingers intertwined. 

---------------------------------------------------  
A|N: Yes, well that's it! All done! ^_^  
Muses: O_O  
Crazi: Please review! ^_^


End file.
